The Union:
"Time clocks are regulated under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act which specifically excludes teachers," Hasson said. "Teachers are not hourly employees."The Superintendent:
Bradley cited "safety reasons" for the policy, saying it would help the district know the employees' whereabouts during emergencies or evacuations.
"The time clocks will create a more accurate and efficient method of tracking the number of staff members present, and will ensure the safety of all," Bradley wrote in an Oct. 29 letter, a copy of which was included in the lawsuit.
Although a fingerprint clock-in system would be of use in an emergency, I think the teacher's union gets that this can be a real money saver for the school district. The data generated by such a system could perhaps be of real use to the school district in the next contract negotiation, assuming that the union doesn't want it for the same (unstated) reason that the superintendent does want it.
Expect to see a lot more articles like this as public sector unions attempt to defend their agreements against newly-frugal bureaucracies.
